Ditching-machine.



PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908.

l L.. THORTVEDT. DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION rILED Jun: 2o. 1907.

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NVENTOH .Zemjzorz/ed www f6@ WITNESQES PATBNTED MAR. 3, 190s L. THURTVBDT. DITCHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20,1907.

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IN VEN TOR en' Maz'z/et W/TNESSES A TTOHN E YS- purpose of the invention is to provide a '25 capstans an LEVITHORTVEDT, OF GLYNDON, MINNESOTA.

DITCHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent..

Patented March 3, 1908.

Application filed .Tune 20, 1907. Serial No. 379,906.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI Ti-IORTVEDT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Glyndon, in the county of Clay and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful I-m rovement in Ditchin -Machines, of which t eollowing is a full, cIear, and exact description.

The urpose of the invention is to provide a very ight yet simple form of ditching machine adapted to be drawn or driven by a steam or other motor, and to provide the driving shaftwith a hoisting capstan, and one or more drag capstans that assist in the filling of the shovels or Scrapers to be hoisted, which drag capstans are independent of the hoisting capstan.

It is also a purpose of the invention to provide means for independently bringing each capstan in driven relation to the driving shaft, and for regulating the rapidity of motion of the *bapstans if revolved when not coupled to the driving shaft; and another pivoted crane so mounted that it can be adjusted to a osition in iront of any of the d) be held in adjusted position, and further to provide means carried by the jib of the crane and co erating suspension and draft mechanisms or the sera ers or shovels, whereby to automatically .um a loaded shovel or scraper when the latter as been elevated to a given height.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a machine in connection with which any form of scraper may beemployed, and to so construct the machine that it can be used for ditching ground too soft to be worked over by horses, and so that a ditch can be dug to any desired depth.

The invention consists in' the novel construction and ,combination of the several parts as will be hereinafter -iully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to'be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved ditching machine; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of-the shovel or scraper, illustrating the position of its suspension and drag mechanism while the scraper or shovel is being f loaded; Fig. 3 is a perspective vieutglhe. scraper or shovel illustrating its usp and drag mechanism in position to be tripped for dumping; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the shovel or scraper, illustratinfy the position of its suspension and drag mec ianism when the scraper or shovel is in dumping position; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of complete machine; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same.

The frame of the machine may be of any desired dimensions and of any approved construction; as illustrated, it consists of lower side beams 10, upper side beams 11, the lower side beams extending in advance of the upper side beams, u rights 12 and 13 that connect the upper andJ lower beams at the rear and front of the machine, side braces 14 and l5, and preferably cross braces 16 located at the front, connecting the forward upriglrts 13, as is best shown in Fig. 5. In the further con.- structionof the frame, an upper rear cross bar or beam 17 is employed extending from one upper side beam 11 to the other, and a lower cross beam or bar 18 is made to connect the lower side beams or sills 10 adjacent their rear ends, as is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6. Parallel and engaging cross bars 19 are secured at their ends to the forward end section of the upperside beams 11, and between the said para lel bars 19, an opening 20 is formed that extends nearly from end to end of the said cross bars, as is best shown in Fig. 6, and

corresponding cross bars 21 are located at the bottom portion of the frame connecting the lower side sills or beams 10, as is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, a space being made also to intervene the said lower cross bars 21. The upper cross bars 19 and the corresponding lower cross bars 21 may be termed guide bars since they are employed to guide the.

movement of the mast 24 for the crane A. This mast 24 at its upper portion is mounted to turn and has limited sliding movement in a block 22, which block is mounted to slide in the space or opening 20 between the upper guide bars 19, and this block 22 is heldin any desired position the length of the slot or opening 20 by means of pins 23a that are passed through openings or apertures 23 in the said guide beams 19 and through Icorresponding openings in the bearing block 22,

the

as is illustrated best in Figs. 1 and 5. The lower end of the mast 24 of the crane A is preferably provided with a metal tenon or pin 25 and this tenon has sliding movement in the space between the lower uide bars 21, as shown in dotted lines in iigs. 1 and 5,

and the lower end of the mast of the crane A is held in adjusted position relatively to the lower guide bars 21 by pins 26 passed through apertures 26 in the said lower guide bars, one at each side of the tenen of the mast as is illustrated particularly in Fig. 5. Thus it will be observed that the mast of the crane A is free to -turn no matter where it may be adjusted in the length of the openings between tlie upper and lower guide bars 19 and 21.

The mast 24 of the crane A at its upper end is provided with an outwardly extending j ib 27 that is rigidly secured to the said mast above the frame of the machine, and at the rear portion of the j ib a beam 28 is attached that extends rearwardly over the frame of the machine, and the said beam 28 is provided with a box 29, or its equivalent, adapted to hold weights, the object of this out-rigging 28 beto counterbalance the wei ht carried byutie jib 27 and thus admit o the crane turning more readily than it otherwise would. A brace bar 30 extends from the jib 27 outward to the mast 24 of the crane A, and adjacent the outer end of the jib 27 a pulley 31 is mountedin the said jib, as is shown in Figs.

. 1 and 5. Trip arms 33 are attached, one to each side of the j ib 27 at its outer or forward end, and these arms are carried outward from the jib and then downward, diverging at their lower ends 34, and the said lower end portions ofthe trip arms 33 are inclined downward and inward, or in directionof the frame of the machine, as is best shown in Fig. 1.

A hoisting rope 35 is secured at one end of the end portion of the jib 27, and this hoisting rope 35 is passed over the tackle block 36 supporting the same, and thence over the u1 e pulley 31 in the jib, and the said tackle lock 36 is provided with pendent hook 37, or its equiva ent. After the hoisting rope 35 has passed the guide pulley 31 it is carried down and passe over a guide-pulley 32 that is pivoted in the mast near its lower end, as is shown also in Figs. 1 and 5, and from thence the hoisting rope is carried to mechanism to be hereinafter described.

A drive shaft 38 is mounted upon the base of the frame in bearings desi ated as 38, 38", 38c and 38d readi from t 1e right to the 1efthand side of the rame. At the righthand end portion of the said drive shaft within the frame, a gear 39 is secured thereto, and this gear meshes with a inion 40 secured upon a shaft 41 above an parallel with the drive shaft 38,being located at the right-hand portion of the frame and mounted to turn in an inner bearinv 42 and an outer bearing 42, as is shown in Big. 5. A fly wheel 43 is located at the outer end of the shaft 41 and on the said shaft 41 a driving pulley 44 is se cured. To the left of the inner bearing 42 for the shaft 41, a clutch 46 is secured upon shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The ca stan Bz is the drive shaft 38, and opposite this clutch a capstan B is loosely mounted on the said drive shaft and has a sliding movement thereon, and at the right-hand end of the capstan B a clutch face 47 is produced, adapted when the capstan is to be turned to engage with the clutch 46 on said drive shaft. At the left-hand end )ortion of the capstan B a Groove 48 is ormed, which receives the laorked end of a shifting lever 49, the said lever being suitably fulcrunied over the rear lower cross bar 18, as is best shown in Fig. 6. The capstan B extends to the bearing 38a when its clutch face is out of engagement with the clutch 46. At the opposite or lefthand sideV of the said bearing 38b a second clutch 50 is secured on the said drive shaft 38, and to the left of this clutch 50 and between said clutch and the bearing 38C, a see ond capstan B is mounted to loosely turn and slide on the said drive shaft, and this capstan B' is provided at its right-hand end with a clutch face 51 for engagement with the clutch 5() when the capstan B is to be revolved, and the said capstan B is provided at its left-hand end portion with a groove 52, that receives the fork of'a shifting-lever 53, also fulcrumed above the rear cross-bar 18 of the frame. A third capstan Bz is mounted to turn'and slide on the said drive shaft 38,

and this latter ca stan Bz is located between a clutch 54, whic vis secured to the shaft 38 at the left-hand side of the bearing 38C, and

the extreme left-hand bearing 38", as is rovided at its right-hand end wit a clutchaoe 55 adapted to engage, when the said capstan Bz is to be driven, with the clutch 54 of the drive-shaft 38, and at the left-hand end ortion of the ca stan B a groove 56 is 105 ormed, that receives the forked end of a third shifting lever 57, also fulcrumed above the rearlower cross-bar 18 of the frame. These shifting-levers 49, 53 and 57 are therefore located together and can be readily managed by one individual, and it will be observed that each capstan is capable of independent'movement, brought about by the movement of its controlling lever. When the capstan is brought in engagement with the clutch on the drive-shaft, the capstan is revolved, and when the capstan is released from its drive clutch by means of its controllin lever, the capstan can be made to engage wit the bearing adjacent its left-hand end, and by means of the frictional contact thus obtained the de ree to which the capstan shalll turn when gres is under complete contro A drag-rope 58, provided with a suitably attached hook, is adapted to be wound upon or unwound from sundry of' the capstans. At the rear of the mast 24 of the crane A, just opposite the guide-pulley 32,- two smaller guide-pulleys 60 and 61 are mounted in hori- 130 zontal alinement, as is shown in Fig. 6, and opposite the capstan B two other horizontal -alining guide-pulleys 62 and 63 are suitably mounted upon a bracket 64, which bracket 64 is usually secured to and extends up from the rear edffe of the rearmost lower guide-bar 21, as is 'shown in Fig. 1, and the hoisting rope 35, after passino' through the guide-pulley 32 in the mast of the crane, is made to engage with either of the guide-pulle s or 61, according to the direction in w ich the crane is to be turned in dumping, and then enga es with either one of the auxiliary guide-pu leys 62 or 63, and from thence the said hoisting rope or cable 35 is carried and attached to the capstan B, for example, when that capstan is used for hoisting purposes and the crane is some distance therefrom.

The shovel or scraper C may be of any approved type, and is rovided at its rear with the customary hand es, 64, and at the central portion of the rear or closed end of the scraper or shovel C a combined suspension and drag-bar 65 is pivotally attached, and this combined suspension and drag-bar is provided with a hook 66 at its up er or free end, and intermediate these en s .is provided with two shoulders 67 and 68, the shoulder 68 being adjacent the point where the said combined suspension and drag bar is connect-ed with the body of the shovel or scraper, as is shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and the shovel or sera er employed is also provided with what I term a trigger-hail 69, that is pivotally mounted in the sides of the -shovel or scraper, as is also shown in Figs. 2,

3 and 4, and the bow portion of the said trigOer-bail 69, in the lifting position of the comcbined suspension and drag bar, engages with the upper shoulder 67 and serves to hold the shovel or scraper in somewhat of a horizontal position but with a slight rearward inclination, and when the shovel or scraper is in dumping position the triggerbail 69 engages with the lower shoulder 68, as is shown in Fig. 4.

In the operation of this machine, as stated, the crane can be adjusted so as to be brought in front of or opposite any one of the capstans. When it occupies a central position relatively to the frame, as is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the jib of the crane can be swung to either side of the machine for dumping purposes. Supposing a shovel or scraper to have been loaded, the combined suspension and drag bar 65 is made to engage with the hook 37 extending from the tackle-block 36 or capstan to which the hoist rope is attached, and then the hoistmg capstan is brought in engagement with its clutch, turning the capstan in direction to wind the hoisting rope 35 thereon, and when the loaded shovel or scraper is swung upward sufficiently far for its trigger-bail 6:1-i

to engage with the downwardly and forwardly curved lower portions 84 of the triparms 33, the trigger-bail 69 is carried from engagement with the shoulder 67 wi th which it was in engagement, and is forced to drop to an engagement with the lower shoulder 68, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 4, thus erinit-ting the open end of the shovel to inc ine downward and to spill the earth therefrom, the .crane having been suitably swung previous to the said automatic dumping operation.

During the time that a loaded shovel is being hoisted, an empty shovel is attached to one or the other, or both, of the dravropes 58, and the capstans to which the said ropes are attached are primarily free from their clutches so as to permit the empty shovel to drop down in a ditch; then the capstans with which the empty shovels are connected are set in operation by the shaft 38, through the engagement of the clutchfaces with the opposing clutches on the shaft, and in this manner the shovels receive their load as they are drawn up from the ditch. When a shovel is loaded the triggerbail 69 of the shovel is made to engage with the upper shoulder 67 of the combined suslpension and drag bar, and then the coinined suspension and drag bar is ready to be attached to the hoisting cable.

A motor D of any approved type is attached in any suitable or a proved manner at the rear of the frame, t e forward portion of the frame extendin over the forward end of the ditch, as is s iown in Fig. 1. The pulley 70 on the driving-shaft of the said motor is connected by.a belt 71 with the driving-pulley 44 of the shaft 41 of the machine; thus the motor is used for driving the shaft 38 and likewise for moving the machine from place to place.

Any capstan may be used as a hoisting capstan, and likewise any capstan may be used as a drag capstan; preferably, however, the capstan just behind the engine -is connected with the hoist rope. When a shovel is to be filled a hook on a drag ro ic 59 is engaged with the tri ger-bail 69. desire it to be understoor that any form of clutch can be emplo 'ed as, for example, a friction clutch or the ike.

IIaving thus descrbed my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-

1. In a ditching machine, a drive shaft, a series of independent capstans mounted to rotate and slide thereon, and independent means for locking or unlocking the capstans relatively to the shaft, and a crane adjustable opposite any one of the capstans.

2. In a ditching machine, a drive shaft, a hoisting capstan and a drag capstan mounted to slide and.turn upon the drive shaft, in-

lent clutch connections between the shaft and the capstans, an independent shifting device for eachcapstan and a laterally adjustable crane.

3. In a ditching machine, the combination with a drive shaft, of a hoisting capstan, and a drag capslan mounted to turn and slide upon the shaft, an imlelnnnlent coupling connection between each capstan and the drive shaft, shifting devices for the capstans, a crane provided with trip arms a hoisting cable carried by the crane, and connected with the hoisting capstan, and a drag cable connected to the drag capstan.

4. In combination, a drive shaft, inde pendent capstans mounted for rotary and sliding movement upon the said shaft, an independent coupling between each capstan and the shaft, shifting devices for the cap- Stans, and a crane mounted for adjustment to and from any of the capstans.

5. In combination, a drive shaft, independent capstans mounted for rotary and sliding movement upon the said shaft, an independent coupling for each eapstan with the drive shaft, shifting devices for each capstan, a crane-mounted for sliding movement to or from any of the capstans 1n a line parallel therewith, a hoisting rope carried by the crane and attached to one of the capstans and drag ropes connected with the other capstans. o

6. In combination, a drive shaft,inde endent capstans mounted for rotary and s iding movement upon the said shaft, an independent coupling for each capstan with the drive shaft, shifting devices for each capstan, a crane mounted for sliding movement to or from anyof the capstans in a line parallel therewith, a hoisting rope carried by the crane and attached to one of the capstans, and drag ropes connected with vthe other capstans, a shovel or scraper carried by the hoisting rope, and trip devices carried by the crane acting to automatically dump the hoisted shovel or scraper.

7. In a ditching machine, the combination with a drive shaft, a series of bearings therefor, and clutches upon the shaft olpposite the beariiigs, of capstans independent y mounted for rotary and sliding movement on the shaft between aclutcl and 'a bearing,each capstan being provided with a clutch face, and means for independently shift-ing each capstan to or from engagement with a clutch on the shaft, or to and from engagement with an adjacent bearing for the shaft.

S. In a ditching machine, the combination with a drive shaft, a series of bearings therefor, and clutches upon the shaft opposite the bearings, of capstans independently mounted for rotary and slidinfr movement on the shaft between a clutch aniI a bearing, each capstan being (provided with a clutch face, and means for in ependently shifting each capstan to or from engagement with a clutch on the shaft, or to and from engagement with an adjacent bearing for the shaft, a crane mounted for adjustnient to a position opposite any of the capst-ans, a hoisting rope carried by the crane and'attached to one of the capstans, guide pulleys for said hoistingr rope, and drag ropes carried by the other capstans.

9. In a ditching machine, a crane, trip arms extending from the jib of the crane, a scraper or shovel adapted to be elevated by the crane, a combined drag and suspension bar connected with the scraper, and a trigger for the said bar released from locking e fragement therewith by contact with the saxiiI trip arms.

10. In a ditching machine, the combination with a crane and its hoisting rope, of a scraper or shovel provided with a combined suspension and drag bar pivotally attached to its rear portion, the said bar having bearing surfaces produced therein, and a trigger bail pivotally connected with the scraper or shovel adapted for engagement with the outer bearing surface when the shovel or scraper is elevated, and adapted for engagement withthe inner bearing surface when the shovel is dumped, and trip arms extending from the jib of the said crane adapted for engagement with the said trigger bail to carry it automatically from its rst named to its second named position.

11. In a ditching machine, the combination with a shovel or scraper, of a combined suspension and drag bar ivoted to therear portion thereof, the said ar being provided with a bearing surface adjacent each of its ends, and a trigver bail pivotally attached to the said shove or scraper and adapted for engagement with either of the said bearing surfaces of the said combined suspension and drag bar.

12. Ina ditching machine, a frame having transverse guideways at its top and bottom, a crane having its mast slidab y mounted in the guideways, and means for locking the mast in position in said guideways.

In testimony whereof I have signed .my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEVI THORTV EDT.

Witnesses:

THOMAS TonsoN, FRED O. SGHLIPF. 

